Solipsism syndrome

Solipsism syndrome is a postulated condition which may be faced by those living in space or on another planet for extended periods of time.[1][2] It may be best described as 'severe Big Brother anomie'.

Contents

Overview

Solipsism is a philosophical position that nothing outside one's own mind can be known to exist, or, sometimes, the position that nothing outside one's own mind does exist. Solipsism syndrome is, by extension, the overwhelming feeling that nothing is real, that all is a dream. Sufferers become lonely and detached from the world and eventually become completely indifferent.[3] Some people claim to have suffered from Solipsism Syndrome[4] but it is not currently recognized as a psychiatric disorder by the American Psychiatric Association.[5]

Shortly after the first manned space efforts, scientists recognized that future space missions might face different scenarios, environments, and challenges, than those of short flight duration.[6] Psychologists have noted that some astronauts and cosmonauts have exhibited symptoms of the syndrome.[7] Concern was raised by scholars regarding the role of the syndrome in fostering disputes within space colonies, including those such as Skylab.[8]

Causes

Environmental

The concept of solipsism syndrome originated within discussion of future space environments at NASA, as these are seen as potentially being conducive to the development of this syndrome.[2]

Effects on design

Psychological considerations are important in the design of enclosed spaces such as artificial habitats[9] in deep space or under water, with the syndrome being specifically identified as a factor by scientists and engineers.[10] Several strategies to attempt to avoid occurrence of solipsism syndrome in artificial environments are discussed in NASA's "Space Settlements: A Design Study"[11] which proposes designs for space colonization:

  1. A large geometry, in which people can see far beyond the "theatre stage" of the vicinity to a view which is overwhelmingly visible.[11]
  2. Something must exist beyond each human's manipulation because people learn to cope with reality when reality is different from their imagination. If the reality is the same as the imagination, there is no escape from falling into solipsism. In extraterrestrial communities, everything can be virtually controlled. In fact, technically nothing should go beyond human control even though this is psychologically bad; however, some amount of "unpredictability" can be built in within a controllable range. One way to achieve this is to generate artificial unpredictability by means of a table of random numbers. Another way is to allow animals and plants a degree of freedom and independence from human planning. Both types of unpredictability must have a high visibility to be effective. This high visibility is easier to achieve in a macrogeometry which allows longer lines of sight.[11]
  3. Something must exist which grows. Interactive processes generate new patterns which cannot be inferred from the information contained in the old state. This is not due to randomness but rather to different amplification by mutual causal loops. It is important for each person to feel able to contribute personally to something which grows, that the reality often goes in a direction different from expectation, and finally that what each person takes care of (a child, for example) may possess increased wisdom, and may grow into something beyond the individual in control. From this point of view, it is important personally to raise children, and to grow vegetables and trees with personal care, not by mechanical means. It is also desirable to see plants and animals grow, which is facilitated by a long line of sight.[11]
  4. It is important to have "something beyond the horizon" which gives the feeling that the world is larger than what is seen.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ Knieter, Gerard; Jane Stallings (1979). The Teaching process & arts and aesthetics. University of Michigan. pp. 192. http://books.google.com/?id=YYJEAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. 
  2. ^ a b Angelo, Joseph A. (2003). Space technology. Greenwood Press. pp. 239. ISBN 1573563358. http://books.google.com/?id=JZNTAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. 
  3. ^ http://settlement.arc.nasa.gov/75SummerStudy/3appendA.html NASA's Space Settlements: A Design Study Appendix A
  4. ^ http://solipsismhelp.webs.com/ Is Reality Real? Help for Solipsism Sufferers
  5. ^ http://psyweb.com/Mdisord/DSM_IV/jsp/Axis_I.jsp psyweb.com list of DSM psychiatric disorders. It is likely that Descartes was a sufferer of the solipsism syndrome, as his "Meditations on First Philosophy" attest. However, he was not a passive 'sufferer' because he produced the isolation that he wrote in by dismissing all the members of his household that may have bothered him during his writing, and then proceeded to doubt whether they existed outside his own mind. at
  6. ^ Michael, Freeman (1979). Space traveller's handbook. Sovereign Books. pp. 34. ISBN 9780671961473. http://books.google.com/?id=spNTAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. 
  7. ^ Slemen, Thomas (1999). Strange but true: mysterious and bizarre people. Barnes & Noble. ISBN 0760712441. http://books.google.com/?id=uOXjAX0vzU0C&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. "Psychologists have noted how astronauts and cosmonauts exhibit symptoms of 'Solipsism Syndrome' - a mental condition" 
  8. ^ March, Scott F. (1984). "Dispute resolution in space". Hastings International and Comparative Law Review (California: University of California) 7: 211. ISSN 0149-9246. http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=info:IbAmCku6jyYJ:scholar.google.com/&hl=en&lr=&output=viewport&shm=1. Retrieved 2009-05-07. 
  9. ^ Preiser, Wolfgang (1976). Psyche and design. University of Illinois. pp. 18–19. ISBN 0412989611. http://books.google.com/?id=rB5QAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. 
  10. ^ Scuri, Piera (1995). Design of enclosed spaces. Chapman & Hall. ISBN 0412989611. http://books.google.com/?id=3S5UAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22Solipsism+syndrome%22. "emphasize the importance of what they call the 'solipsism syndrome in an artificial environment': that is, the fact that such environments create" 
  11. ^ a b c d e Johnson, Richard D.; Holbrow, Charles. "Space Settlements: A Design Study". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. http://lifesci3.arc.nasa.gov/SpaceSettlement/75SummerStudy/Design.html. 

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